As rising temperatures hike the potential for natural disasters, Nolalu is taking steps to ensure its villagers remain high and dry. Though the Highway 588 community has had an emergency plan in place since 2017, experts say such documents shouldn't be left to gather dust on a shelf: locals need to know how to implement them well before disaster strikes. "With climate change, we're going to see (floods) more often," said Sharon Bak, a consultant who is helping the village develop response strategies. Bak, a former Emergency Management Ontario field officer, said response plans should be practised at least once a year, and there should be lists of people who can assume leadership roles in a crisis. According to provincial regulations, unincorporated communities don't have the authority to officially declare an emergency, "but they can say that there is one underway," Bak said. In organized communities like municipalities and First Nations, crisis management usually falls to mayors and Indigenous chiefs. When communities are unincorporated, like Nolalu, disaster management is often overseen by a local fire chief. Bak said it's better to have response teams in place to shoulder the burden. "Everybody should know who the team is, and who they can call," Bak said. She added: "Public education is so important. Ninety per cent (of emergency response) is preparation. To that end, Nolalu is going to host its first Emergency Preparedness Day on July 27. The Nolalu initiative is being put forward in collaboration with the Nolalu Emergency Services Team headed by fire Chief Sarah Shoemaker. Residents who want to take a look at the village's emergency plan can do so at the Nolalu Community Centre on July 27 during the country market event.